There are many paths up the mountain, but the view is the same, but first you have to climb a freaking mountain, so get climbing.

Monday, March 7, 2016

Speaking Up

Karate is something so intensely personal, abstract and unique to each individual that it's almost pointless writing about it. I'm finding other karateka, who are much more skilled and knowledgeable than myself, with similar views and their overall attitude seems to be "why bother?"

This is understandable. I think I've written before that you can tell someone about certain aspects of karate until you're blue in the face, but until they have that moment of true recognition you might as well be talking to a tree. This isn't even considering trying to correct all the bad, useless and fantastical thinking that goes on in karate circles. There's much more self teaching that happens in karate than people are willing to admit or even think about. People don't like abstract ideas. They like concrete instructions and that's just something you don't really have in karate, no matter what people are trying to sell you.

The response to all this madness seems to be to step back into the shadows and just not talk about it. I've been tempted to do this as well. Why waste the energy? Why waste the time? Especially when I know it won't really make a difference. The reason why I want to keep writing is that silence is part of the problem.

I might be just another asshole internet warrior who doesn't know what he's talking about. I'm prepared to accept that title, but if I had the slightest hint about the alternatives to certain karate practices ten years ago than I'd be a lot further along. I'd have a place to get started and a lantern to help light my way. It wouldn't have taken me years to start asking the right questions.